Thabi Leoka, the businesswoman who faced accusations of providing false information about her academic credentials, has resigned from the board of MTN South Africa amidst the ongoing controversy affecting the corporate sector.
In a statement emailed late on Monday evening, MTN South Africa confirmed Leoka’s immediate resignation as a non-executive director, citing her departure as being related to health reasons and the scrutiny surrounding her academic qualifications. Leoka had served on the telecommunications operator’s board since 2019.
Her alleged misrepresentation of holding a Ph.D. in economics from the London School of Economics triggered the scandal. MTN South Africa’s announcement of her resignation coincided with Anglo American Platinum revealing her departure from its board of directors on the same day.
The controversy began when Business Day reported last week that Leoka had stepped down from Remgro’s board in December, partly due to concerns about her qualifications. Despite asserting she possessed a Ph.D. from the London School of Economics, Leoka has not provided evidence, and the LSE confirmed having no record of such a qualification in response to Business Day’s inquiries. Initially maintaining her claim, Leoka later resigned from both MTN South Africa and Anglo American Platinum.
